The invention is directed to a method for automatically determining the direct and direct extent of damages resulting from a failure of technical components in objects integrated in a production cycle, such as components of a computer network or telecommunication network, in objects, by taking into account network structure, emergency planning, startup planning, as well as client and user behavior.
Guaranteeing the availability of technical components, for example in IT networks, telecommunication networks, etc., is essential for maintaining excellent client relations. The total failure of an object, for example a room or an entire building, with all the industrial components housed in that room or building, can ruin a company within a short time.
To alleviate this situation, many companies have instituted measures, for example a redundant network structure, emergency and startup planning, to minimize or neutralize any negative effects for the clients following a total failure of technical components.
These measures should prevent or minimize the extent of expected damages. The expenditures associated with these measures should be cost-effective and should have an acceptable economic correlation with the extent of the expected damages.
The investments and the costs for a measure can be determined quite accurately, whereas a large number of parameters and complex interdependencies have to be considered for determining of the extent of the expected damage.
To date, only the replacement value of the component(s) and the consequential damage due to the unavailability of the components was directly considered when the damage resulting from the failure of one or more several technical components was computed. It was assumed that the component would not be available for a certain period of time, and the component would again be 100% available after that time. However, emergency planning, so-called workarounds, have the effect that the failed components do not become available again at the same time, but are rather returned to service sequentially, so that the affected users will suffer the consequences of such failure for different lengths of time, which was not overlooked.